Pump



. April 147, 1945. y R. BACKFEN ET AL A 2,373,642

Y PUMP Filed April 28, 1945 reanuda. 11, i945 PUMP Ryan Backofen, BattleCreek, and Robert Lapsley, Berrien Springs, Mich., assignors to ClarkEquipment Company, Buchanan, Mich., a corporation of Michiganapplication April 28,1943, serial no. 484,938

3 claims. (ci. 10a-5o) 'This invention relates to valve assemblies, andmore particularly is directed to a valve construction for withdrawingleakage iiuid from the sump vgroove 23 and having a counterbored end 24.

of a torque converter or the like and returning it to the fluid systemof the torque converter.

The present invention concerns itself particularly with a valvemechanism capableof control from the intake manifold of an engine ormanual control of the operator for withdrawing leakage fluids from thevtorque converter of a vehicle and returning it to the fluid reservoir orto the inlet side of the fluid pump.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide a simple valveconstruction which will positively operate to withdraw the fluid byreciprocationof a plunger or valve element, this reciprocation beingcontrolled either manually or by the engine manifold vacuum. l

Otherv objects and advantages of the present invention willappear'morefully from the following detailed description which, taken inconjunction with the accompanying drawing, will disclose to thoseskilled in the art the particular construction and operation ofpreferred forms of the present invention.

In the drawing: Flgure 1 is a sectional view through a valve adapted tobe .controlled by engine intake manifold vacuum; and

Figure 2 is a sectional view through a valve construction adapted to bemanually controlled from the accelerator pedal.

Referring now in detail to Figure 1, we have .provided a valve bodyhaving a threaded end 5 adapted to be screwedinto the sump of a torqueconverter directly or to be tted with a, pipe or conduit leading to suchsump. At its opposite end the valve body 5 is provided with a threadedcap or bushing 1 suitably tapped as at 3 to receive a conduit connectingthe interior of the valve body to the engine intake manifoldl therebyproviding a vacuum connection to this end of the valve body.

Intermediate its ends the valve body is provided with an offset bossportion-` 3 receiving the sleeve Il forming a valve port I2, and alsoproviding a seat for a spring I3 bearing against a ball I4 disposed inthe bore of the boss.

Disposed for reciprocating movement within reduced portion or shank ofthe plunger I5 is a ring or sleeve 22 having an annular external Thevshank of the valve body I5 is provided with a collar 25 carrying a ringmember 28, which ring member is adaptedupon movement' of the therebyallowing the spring I9 to move the valve plunger I5 to the right toengage in the counter` bore 24 after predetermined motion of the plungerfor producing simultaneous movement of the sleeve 22 to move the groove23 thereof into alignment with the ball I4. Due to the ball I4 being ofconsiderably greater radius 'than that of groove 23, the ball onlypartially seats in the groove, thereby allowing air to pass around theball into the groove. This provides communication between the air portl2 through the groove 23 with the port 21 on the opposite sideof thevalve body, and thence thru the passageway 23 and port 29 into theinterior of the valve chamber above the head I6 of the plunger. Thisprovides for breaking the vacuum in the chamber,

plunger to the left so that in operation, the plunger is drawn to theright by engine vacuum, and as the groove 23 aligns with the ball I4,air is introduced into the head end of the cylinder or bore of the valveto break the vacuum and to allow the spring to return the valve to theposition shown in Figure 1, thereby producing a reciprocating action` ofthe plunger I5. The ball I4 forms a detent for holding sleeve 22 inposiend of the counterbore I1 of the valve body to prevent any oilleaking past the shank I5 of the plunger into the interior of theplunger chamber.

vacuum intake port 3. Loosely surrounding the A suitable vent port 32allows air to escape during movement of the valve.

The exten ding shank of the plunger I5 is adapted to bottom against asleeve 33'pressed into the end of the valve body, which sleeve carriesthe ball check valve 34 normally held in closed posi-` tion by thespring 35. A suitable bushing 36 defines the oil inlet port l3l throughwhich leakage oil from the` torque converter is introduced into thevalve. Upon movement of the plunger to the right, suction is produced inthe inlet port 31, drawing leakage uid therein. As the plungerreciprocates due to breaking of the vacuum, this oil is forced past theball 34 and through the port 38 at the inner end of the sleeve 33 intothe' port 33 formed at the lower end of the plunger 45 is normally'spring pressed into position by means of the spring 32, but uponmovement of the plunger to the left, is unseated to allow oil` to passtherethrough and through the port 43 and transverse port 44 into the oiloutlet port 45 connected to the fluid reservoir or the inlet side of theuid pump of the converter. Consequently, upon alternate reciprocation ofthe plunger I5, oil is drawn into the valve body through port 31 andthence is forced outwardly past ball valve 40 and'through ports 43 and44 into the outlet port 45. The provision of the loose sleeve 22 in theenlarged bore I'I of the valve body provides for breaking of the vacuumto produce the' reciprocating action oi' the plunger, which in turnprovides the pumping action for withdrawing the leakage fluid from thetorque converter.

In the form of the invention shown in Figure 2, which is a verysimplified construction, a valve body 50 is provided having an offsetboss portion 52 adapted to receive the conduit 53 leading from the oilsump of the torque converter and the conduit 54 leading to the reservoiror sump of the iiuid system for the converter. 'I'he valve body 50 isprovided with a longitudinal bore or chamber 55 Within which is mo'untedthe piston member 56 adapted to have axial reciprocatory movementtherein. The member 56 extends outwardly through the backing gland 51and its outer end is connected by means of the clevis 58 and pin 59 tothe accelerator pedal of the vehicle, whereby alternate depression andrelease of the accelerator pedal will produce reciprocatory movement ofthe piston 56, creating alternately a pressure and vacuum conditionwithinv the bore 55 of the valve body.

The conduit 53 is normally closed by a flapper type valve 60 held inposition by a spring 62, while the conduit 54 opens into a passageway 63normally closed by the flapper Valve 64 held in position by the spring65. The valve 60 of the conduit 53 controls flow of uid through thepassageway 66 into the bore 55 of the valve body, while the port 63controls discharge of fluid from the valve body into the conduit 54.

In the operation of this particular valve construction, movement of thepiston 56 to the right produces suction in the cylinder, causing valve60 to lift fromiits seat, while maintaining 4valve 64 on its seat. Thisresults in drawing oil through the conduit 53 lfrom the torque converterinto the chamber 55. Upon movement oi the piston 56 to the left, the'valve 50 is forced onto its seat, while the pressure of the fluid forcesvalve 64 open, discharging the fiuid from the cylinder 55 into theconduit 54 and thence to the reservoir of the iiuid system. Thus,reciprocation of the piston 56 draws fluid down from the converter anddischarges it into the sump or reservoir. Thus, reciprocation of theaccelerator pedal will result in pumping the fluid from the converterinto the reservoir through the valve mechanism described in Figure 2.

It is therefore apparent that we have provided a very simple type ofvalve construction for withdrawing leakage fluid from the torqueconverter and returning it to the fluid system of the converter. f"

We are aware that many modifications of this type of mechanism might bemade without departing from the underlying principles herein shown anddescribed, and we therefore do not intend to be limited except asdefined by the scope and spirit of the appended claims.

We claim:

1. In combination, a. pump body. a plunger reciprocatory therein andhaving an enlarged head end, a spring normally urging said plunger inone direction, vacuum means operable to draw said plunger in theopposite direction, an air inlet port into said vacuum means,` meanssurrounding said plunger and operable upon predetermined movement ofsaid plunger under the influence of said vacuum means to move axiallytherewith for opening said port to atmosphere whereupon said springreturns said plunger in the opposite direction, closing said port, aValve xed in the end of said pump body and opened by movement of saidplunger in one direction to admit fluid therepast into said pump body,means forming a fluid outlet from said pump body and a second valvecarried by said plunger end and opened by movement Vof said plunger inthe opposite direction for discharging the fluid admit-l ted by saidfirst/valve through said outlet.

2. A pump construction comprising a body member having a plunger thereinnormally biased in one direction, means providing a vacuum connection tosaid member for drawing said plunger 4in the opposite direction, meansslideable in said said plunger and responsive to predetermined' movementof said plunger in said latter direction for admitting air into saidvacuum connection to return said plunger toward its biased position, aiiuid inlet port and a fluid outlet pprt in said body member, valvemeans controlled by reciprocation of said plunger for drawing fluid intosaid body member through said inlet port upon movement of said plungerin said latter direction and forcing it out of said member upon returnmovement of said plunger, said air admitting means comprising a groovedsleeve, means for moving said sleeve conjointly with said plunger afterpredetermined movement thereof in one direction, an air inlet port, andan air passageway into said vacuum connection, said sleeve being movableinto position by said plunger to aline said groove for communicationbetween said por and passageway.

3. A pump construction comprising a body member having a plunger thereinnormally biased in one direction, means providing a vacuum connectionto' said member for drawing said plunger in the opposite direction,means slideable in said member and having a lost motion connection withsaid plunger and responsive to predetermined movement of said plunger insaid latter direction for admitting air into said vacuum connection toreturn said plunger toward its biased position, a fluid inlet port and afluid outlet port in said body member, valve means controlled byreciprocation of said plunger for drawing fluid into said body memberthrough said inlet port upon movement of said plunger in said latterdirection and forcing it out of said member upon `return movement ofsaid plunger, said air admitting means comprising. an annular groovedsleeve surrounding said plunger, means on said plunger operable afterpredetermined movement of said plunger in one direction for moving saidsleeve conjointly therewith, and air port means opening into said vacuumconnection through said groove, said plunger returning said sleeve toinoperative position upon admission of air to said vacuum connection.

RYAN BACKOFEN. ROBERT LAPSLEY.

